Contrast

Tim and I met each other in graduate school where we took courses together and studied viruses in adjacent labs.  In general, we approach life similarly in that we’re both fairly skeptical, and we apply the same sort of analytical reasoning that is useful in our careers as scientists to everyday situations.  We tend to feel similarly about most political issues and current events, we both go to somewhat extreme measures to recycle, and we tend to like (or dislike) the same people. 

However, there is one area in which we are… ahem… vastly, hugely, extremely  different.  I think the best way to characterize it is to say that we organize our lives, belongings, and schedules, ummm, differently.

Case in point:  Today we went to the grocery store.  I made a list, which makes me a rockstar, as far as I’m concerned.. I even categorized items with labels like “fruit” and “veggies” and “grains.”  I thought we were on the same page until we started shopping. 

Canteloupe, check.  Green beans, check.  Alfalfa sprouts, check.

Tim:  Whoa, what are you doing? 

Me:  I’m checking off items.

Tim:  You’re making barely visible checkmarks that run into your barely legible handwriting (I’m paraphrasing). 

He then confiscated the list, and neatly crossed off the acquired items. 

Tim:  See?  Now it’s perfectly clear what is left on the list.

Obviously.

When we were checking out, I was absentmindedly checking my e-mail on my phone while he unloaded the cart.  As the checker started doing her thing, I glanced at the belt… it was beautiful.  All the fruits together, all the vegetables together, all the boxed grains together… you get the point.  (Most of the produce and the dairy items were already scanned by the time I shot the picture.)

Tim likes schedules – I fly by the seat of my pants.

Tim neatly folds his socks, and organizes them with categories (sports, casual, dress) and subcategories (color, length) – mine are crammed together in a drawer in no particular order.

Tim is always on time.  I am usually (read: sometimes) (read: occasionally) on time.

You get the picture. 

Thankfully, he has hitherto been willing to put up with lack of skills in this particular area – hopefully my luck won’t run out any time soon.